CFE hopes for new tax regimen.

MEXICO CITY, Aug 26, 2002

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is expecting that a new fiscal regimen put forth as part of the electricity reform will change the current tax scheme for one based on the company's profits, says company Director Alfredo Elias Ayub. Currently, the State-owned company pays a tax that is equivalent to 9% of the company's assets. Elias says this reaches some 40 billion pesos (US$4.08 billion) per year."We, at the CFE would ask not to pay this tax, which is a large chunk of money. In exchange, we would pay a tax based on profits, an earnings tax or something to that effect," he said. "This is a very capital-intense industry. Assets are very high and the 9% tax rate is extremely expensive."Elias also said that the government should assume the responsibility subsidies. He suggested the Treasury decide the subsidy level and the recipients, to pay that amount to the CFE.

URL: www.securities.com

Copyright 2002 Internet Securities, Inc., all rights reserved. A Euromoney Institutional Investor Company.

  SUBJECT CODE:     Enel 

News Provided by COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)

PPG Co-Sponsors Conference On Repair Technician Retention.

Business Editors & Automotive Writers

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio--(AutomotiveWire)--May 1, 2001

Losing a skilled technician can cost a collision repair center $10,000 in lost productivity and the time and expense associated with searching for a new employee.

To address this critical issue, PPG Industries has teamed with the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and the Automotive Service Excellence Association (ASE) to offer a one-day seminar designed to help collision centers and their distributors recruit, train, and retain good employees. The conference will be held June 2 at the Sheraton College Park hotel in College Park, Md.

The seminar will address such important employee-related topics as current staffing conditions and trends, on-line recruiting strategies, apprenticeship programs, compensation and benefits planning, and employee satisfaction and retention strategies.

Speakers will include Ron Ray, executive director, I-CAR Education Foundation; Steve Brown, AutoJobs.com chief executive; John Waller, human resources consultant and trainer; Joseph Hinkens, collision center owner and industry consultant; and Dennis Pappas, chief operating officer of Three-C Body Shop Inc., recognized as having one of the most established and successful apprenticeship programs in the nation.

"As an industry, we must be very concerned about a 20 percent technician turnover rate that cost the collision repair industry an estimated $300 million last year," said Russ Boston, Strongsville-based PPG Automotive Refinish director of training. "This seminar will deal head-on with the employee turnover issue and provide a wealth of information for collision center managers seeking to improve their expertise in recruiting, training and motivating employees."

The fee for the one-day conference is $395. More information is available by phoning 877-550-7652 or e-mail to HRConference@pinetreeconsulting.com.

Internet: www.ppgrefinish.com

Gatess monopoly move faces court rebuff.

THE ball bounces back into the governments court this week in the Windows anti-trust match, when Washington offers its response on Wednesday to the concessions that Microsoft offered the court last week.

But the justice department has already publicly dismissed Microsofts proposed remedies as ineffectual and full of loopholes and its announcement on Wednesday will likely be little more than posturing ahead of a court date with judge Thomas Jackson on 24 May.

That hearing, the last stage in a trial that began in October 1998, will consider the governments proposal to split Microsoft into two companies and impose tough conduct restrictions in the interim. Microsoft last week denounced the plan as unprecedented and dangerous for the US economy.

It asked Jackson to throw out the DoJs plan or, failing that, to grant it more time to prepare its case against a break-up, delaying the hearing until 4 December. An American company deserves more than 12 days to respond to a government proposal to tear apart a $400bn company, said Microsofts chief counsel, William Neukom.

Microsofts proposed remedy for the behaviour cited by Jackson in his finding of fact on 3 April includes some important concessions. Instead of breaking up Microsoft, the company says the court should order it not to discriminate among PC manufacturers, allow other browsers equal access to the Windows desktop and publish more advance information about how programs will work with new versions of the operating system.

But sceptics noted last week that Microsofts concessions are the same measures the industry and the government sought from it five years ago, and thought they had secured in 1994 in a settlement of an earlier complaint. That was before Microsoft was tried and found by Jackson to have acted like a predatory monopolist.

But Microsoft, defiantly insisting it will never be broken up, says separating Windows from the rest of its business will halt innovation in computer software. The symbiotic nature of operating systems and applications programs has improved personal computing for millions, says chairman Bill Gates.

Gates says that if the proposed plan to dismantle Microsoft had been implemented 10 years ago, it could not have created either Windows or the Office suite of applications.

But rivals such as Sun Microsystems chief executive Scott McNealy dismiss this as a classic Microsoft argument.

On the one hand, they insist Windows is an open platform with equal access for all, while on they other they insist the two parts of the company have to stay together or theyll lose business.

Microsoft has already announced plans to appeal against Jacksons 3 April ruling, and so its request for a six-month delay prompted suggestions that it is just the first of a long string of delaying tactics.

Microsoft benefits from every day this case continues, analysts say, giving it more time to implement a new Net-centred business model. In a year or so, it will be far better placed to settle the case by accepting an end to its dominance of the PC market, having already moved to more promising territory.

The pace of change in the market is quicker than the pace at which the government can bring this case, says Washington-based attorney Phillip Proger.

Last week at a Las Vegas conference, Gates touted Next Generation Windows Services, the e-commerce Web server software at the heart of Micro-softs new internet strategy. It was evidence of the companys plans to weave its new Windows 2000 into most of the worlds e-commerce server software that encouraged anti-trust regulators to ask for the stiff remedies.

But anti-trust experts say Microsoft may change its mind about slowing the proceedings if Jackson agrees this summer to impose the interim conduct restrictions the government is seeking, which would make it illegal for the company to tie future use of Windows to other Microsoft products.

Industry sources say that could threaten Microsofts strategy to employ component applications that will only work with servers using its operating system.

Things could accelerate dramatically if Gates concludes that the conduct measures will damage Microsoft sooner, and arguably more profoundly, than splitting off his PC software business will do, says one internet company executive.

Dynamite dynamism.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)

A few weeks ago, "Gearhead" discussed JavaScript and followed that with a discussion of HTML, JavaScript and bookmarklets.

From your letters I get the impression it went well, so this week I thought "Gearhead" would discuss a question posed by a reader after the JavaScript column: "Where does Dynamic HTML fit in?"

While JavaScript can create content in an HTML document, it can also interact with document contents. Combine that ability with content formatting control and you can make Web documents with amazingly sophisticated behavior, what Dynamic HTML is all about.

For example, you can make toolbars on Web pages that stay at the top of a window so the toolbars are always visible even when the page is scrolled down. See the section on drifting toolbars on Netscape's DevEdge Online at http://developer.netscape.com/tech/dynhtml/index.html for an example that works with Version 4.0+ of Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

At the heart of Dynamic HTML is something called the Document Object Model (DOM) - as if we needed yet another acronym identical to those for Distributed Object Manager, Data Output Message and Document Object Management.

The DOM is (and here's a string of $5 words) "a hierarchical structuring of the contents of an HTML document." What this means is that the HTML elements that comprise a document (links, anchors, images and plug-ins) are arranged in a tree and referred to generically as "objects."

The DOM tree starts from the window in which the document is displayed and includes its location, frames, events that occur and even the history of the window (the URLs that have been displayed in that window). Events in the model include loading and unloading the document, and when the mouse interacts with an object by moving across or away from it, or clicking on it. And to make life even easier, under the 4.0+ browsers, objects can also be named.

The importance of this structure is that it gives a consistent way of referring to objects within a document. Want to access the third form in a document? Under the DOM, that object would be referred to as document. form(2) (the numbering of objects of a specific type starts at zero).

But there's more to it than just scripting. Dynamic HTML is three technologies combined: HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and scripting. Web documents are written in HTML, while CSS defines the style and positioning of objects.

Of course, the key players in the browser market, Microsoft and Netscape, have never agreed on what Dynamic HTML consists of. Microsoft always referred to the acronym as "DHTML"; Netscape presented it as "dHTML." After that, it got complicated.

The champion of Web standards, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), has a role in all this. In December 1998, the DOM Level 1 Specification became a W3C Recommendation. CSS, Level 2, became a W3C Recommendation in May 1998.

At the risk of starting a religious war, let me say the differences between the vendors' views of Dynamic HTML will become irrelevant in short order; Netscape is in limbo while Sun absorbs the carcass that was spat out by America Online. Worse still, Netscape will probably stay in that state long enough for its market share to erode beyond recovery.

In effect and by default, Microsoft has won the browser battle and Microsoft's view of Dynamic HTML is going to have the greatest impact on market direction, the U.S. Department of Justice not withstanding.

So what does this mean to you? Well, Dynamic HTML is still very new and relatively rare on the public Web. Writing Dynamic HTML content that works cross-browser is still hard work. But that hard work can have a big payoff, and even the dullest content can acquire an air of dynamism.

Dynamic responses to gearhead@ gibbs.com.

MightyMeeting Extends Leadership in Mobile Web Conferencing, Announces the First to Market Web Conferencing Application for HP TouchPad.

MightyMeeting Inc., a mobile collaboration and social publishing company, announced general availability of MightyMeeting for HP TouchPad, a native application for HP's first webOS tablet that enables mobile professionals to connect with their customers and partners and deliver compelling multimedia presentations, locally and remotely, directly from their tablet (1).

Unlike other web conferencing solutions, MightyMeeting infrastructure and applications are designed from the ground up to work with mobile networks and mobile devices.

MightyMeeting for HP TouchPad is the first application in the MightyMeeting family to include integrated audio conferencing. The solution works over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi wireless networks (1). The application takes full advantage of the unique capabilities of the webOS platform, such as next-level multitasking and HP Synergy, which automatically syncs users' information from sources like Facebook, Google, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo!, Skype, and LinkedIn.

"The TouchPad is an amazing platform that signals arrival of the post-laptop phase in mobile business computing," said Dmitri Tcherevik, the founder and CEO of MightyMeeting Inc. "We are excited to build on this platform and deliver a market leading mobile business app and a proof that one does not have to be chained to a desk or carrying pounds of hardware to be fully productive."

"MightyMeeting offers mobile professionals an excellent cloud-based service that takes advantage of webOS capabilities," said Richard Kerris, vice president of webOS Worldwide Developer Relations, HP. "MightyMeeting integrates with the webOS contact and email applications, and with webOS multitasking, users can host a web conference while checking their calendars, sending IM messages or looking up a contact."

MightyMeeting is designed for people who travel and must present on the road, often at a moment's notice. It is popular with entrepreneurs, executives, sales pros, doctors, researchers, and teachers in every part of the world.

Every MightyMeeting user gets a private virtual meeting room. The room can be used to store presentations and demo videos. It can also be used to host online meetings with any number of participants. Meetings can be attended from a broad range of mobile devices running webOS, iOS, or Android. MightyMeeting also offers a Web-based application that requires no browser plug-ins.

"At our company we believe in delivering the best service to our customers," said Jay Patel, a business development manager at Springer Healthcare, a leading publisher of the medical educational products for the healthcare community. "We are a global company, and if a customer calls at 9 pm on a holiday, I take the call. With MightyMeeting, I can use this call to answer my customer's questions and deliver a professional presentation, wherever I am. I am looking forward to trying the new features."

MightyMeeting for HP TouchPad is available immediately in the webOS App Catalog on TouchPad. The application is free and can be used to attend online meetings or manage a library of presentations at no cost. Hosting a meeting requires an in-app purchase. Additional Resources MightyMeeting for HP TouchPad Presentation MightyMeeting for HP TouchPad Web Page Application Screenshots: Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2 Demo Video: Sharing Content On-The-Go White Paper: What is Mobile Web Conferencing? About HP TouchPad HP TouchPad is part of a growing family of webOS devices designed to keep people better connected (1). With webOS, HP TouchPad users have a next-level multitasking experience, integrated access to their information with HP Synergy, the ability to find information on the device or the web using the Just Type feature, and unobtrusive notifications (2). TouchPad is a productivity powerhouse that also offers access to the cloud and entertainment, including movies, TV shows, games, photos, books, magazines and premium audio playback with stereo speakers and Beats Audio (tm) technology (3). More information about HP TouchPad is available at www.hp.com/touchpad. About MightyMeeting MightyMeeting is an industry innovator and the provider of a popular solution for mobile meetings and presentations. The solution is used by people around the world to share ideas and connect in real-time and anytime. For more information, please visit www.mightymeeting.com.

(1) Internet access within wireless coverage area only. Wi-Fi within range of 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi network. Some Wi-Fi hotspots may require fee for usage. Not all web content may be available. Email and related information required for setup and activation.

(2) Within wireless coverage area only. Microsoft Exchange email, contacts, and calendars available for ActiveSync only; requires Microsoft Outlook using Exchange Server 2003 with SP2, Exchange Server 2007, or Exchange Server 2010.

(3) Third-party software available separately. Within wireless coverage area only. Requires data services at additional cost. Not all apps available on all devices.

Keywords: Wireless Technology.

This article was prepared by Computer Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Computer Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

PBS LearningMedia Launches with World-Class Content from Public Media and Its Partners.

Free Innovative Classroom-Ready Media Available to Every Teacher and Student Across the Country

PHILADELPHIA -- To foster classroom innovation and engagement, PBS and WGBH, and their producing partners WNET and KET, along with 31 other PBS member stations, today launched PBS LearningMedia (pbslearningmedia.org), a free service for all teachers, students and families nationwide. In addition to a rich public media library, PBS LearningMedia has content contributed from other publicly funded organizations, including the National Archives, the Library of Congress and NPR, as well as content funded by NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Education, to deliver thousands of resources for use in the classroom and with home-schoolers.

"As America's largest classroom, PBS and our local stations are helping to re-imagine classroom learning and are partnering with our producers and teachers to engage students to accelerate academic achievement," said Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO. "PBS LearningMedia is a key part of the solution to one of the nation's biggest challenges - improving student progress to build our future workforce."

Delivering unprecedented access to a robust digital library aligned to Common Core State Standards and available to all preK-16 classrooms, PBS LearningMedia is the next generation in digital media platforms with high-quality content drawn from more than 1,500 public media producers, 350 local stations, such as WGBH's NOVA science series among many others, and a growing list of other contributors.

Beginning today, teachers and students have immediate access for their lessons and homework to more than 14,000 research-based instructional resources - including videos, interactives, images, audio files, mobile apps, lesson plans, and worksheets. Combining dynamic and engaging instructional content with professional development support, PBS LearningMedia empowers educators to create media-rich curriculum lessons that meet the needs of 21st century learners. Through PBS LearningMedia, teachers can:

* quickly and easily find relevant resources, localized to their needs, to differentiate instruction for a diverse range of learners;

* personalize the site by tagging resources and share ideas, recommendations and comments on how they've used media assets in their teaching with their professional learning networks via email or social media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter; and

* develop "class pages" -- curated content lists -- for student viewing, feedback and instruction on interactive white boards and school-based intranets and other networking tools.

Currently, PBS LearningMedia is co-branding with 34 local PBS stations, including Alabama Public Television, Blue Ridge PBS, Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation, Idaho Public Television, Illinois Public Media, Iowa Public Television, KACV-TV, KAET - Phoenix, KCTS Television, KET (Kentucky Educational Television), KLRN, KNME-TV, KNPB, KSPS-TV, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, New Hampshire Public Television, PBS SoCal, Rhode Island PBS, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, WNET New York Public Media, UNC-TV, Vegas PBS, WGBH Educational Foundation, WGCU Public Media, WGVU, WHRO, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, WJCT, Inc., WOSU Public Media, WPSU/Penn State Public Broadcasting, WQED Multimedia, WSIU Public Broadcasting, WTCI, and WVPT.

This fall, PBS LearningMedia will also be available as a custom solution, developed and distributed in partnership with state education departments or local school districts. The platform offers a flexible infrastructure designed for customization and seamless media integration into existing services. Texas PBS is the first to offer a custom integration service, bringing the full collection of PBS LearningMedia through the "Project Share" service, a collaboration with the New York Times and Epsilen, to all Texas educators this summer.

ABOUT PBS

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans -- from every walk of life -- the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches 124 million people through television and 20 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBSPressroom on Twitter.

About WGBH

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcaster, producing such award-winning PBS series as Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Curious George, and more than a dozen other prime-time, lifestyle, and children's series. WGBH's television channels include WGBH 2, WGBH 44, and digital channels World and Create. Local WGBH TV productions that focus on the region's diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black, and Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One. WGBH Radio serves listeners from Cape Cod to New Hampshire with 89.7 WGBH, Boston's NPR[R] Station for News and Culture; 99.5 All Classical; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR[R] Station. WGBH also produces the national radio news program The World. WGBH is a leading producer of online content and a pioneer in developing educational multimedia and new technologies that make media accessible for people with disabilities. Find more information at www.wgbh.org

Verizon Wireless Provides Resources in Western Massachusetts to Assist in Recovery Efforts.

To assist recovery efforts across Western Massachusetts in the wake of tornadoes and severe weather, Verizon Wireless deployed additional resources to augment wireless communication, network capacity and coverage in and around Springfield, MA.

According to a release, the company reached out to first responders - including local, state and federal agencies - to offer emergency assistance. In response to requests, the Verizon Wireless Crisis Response Team has:

- Delivered six mobile power generators for use by local police and fire departments, as well as FEMA

- Distributed 45 mobile handsets to local police and fire departments

- Added call handling capacity to several exiting cell sites in the areas most affected

- Recharged resident's cell phones inside local Communications Stores

At the request of City of Springfield officials, the company deployed an 18-wheeled 'Emergency Response Vehicle' (ERV) to the Emergency Management Command Center at the Basketball Hall of Fame. The ERV will enable public safety personnel to charge 50 plus wireless devices at the same time, access the Internet and connect with other public safety personnel.

In addition, Verizon Wireless pledged $20,000 to the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross to immediately assist people affected by the June 1 devastation.

The Verizon Wireless Crisis Response Team works closely with emergency management officials to support recovery efforts.

More company information:

www.verizonwireless.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))